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The Huff and Puff Is Affecting Me and Other Bajans! Let Us Deal With Some Facts–Part II

George C. Brathwaite

As Owen Arthur has contrarily to Sinckler but rightly said that, “growth and development are also best promoted through sound policies which have a clear purpose, and which carry with them a strong probability of successful incidence.” Sometimes lack of accuracy and variance from objectivity by sweet-sounding and boastful politicians in government can boggle the mind enough to cast any pronouncement they make into a grotesque category more suitably considered to be a blatant lie.

Like me, many believe that the constant blame-game regarding the commissions and omissions of the BLP and its 14 years in office has lost much of its earlier punch with Bajans and their everyday realities. The fast growing poor and diminishing middle-classes need to see an administration that can deal with the biting issues of the day, and find workable options and solutions. The out of work and underemployed need a government that would innovate, and seek out policy directions that can make things at least bearable rather than going from bad to worse on a day-to-day basis.

Bajans do not feel it is right or a panacea for the DLP administration to fret, day in and day out, about what the BLP did or did not do during its term of office since the well-being of the country was evidenced in the fact that by December 2007, Barbados had risen to the status of being the number one developing country in the world. Nor do Bajans get any comfort in hearing about what Greece, Spain, or any other country that is experiencing self-imposed hardship which may have been exacerbated by the international economic recession unless it there are positive lessons to be learnt from those who now hold the reins to power and action.

Too many Barbadians have been left without hope to hold on to given the peculiarity of challenges facing Barbados as an economy and society. This Bajan sense of what is happening in their world, also calls for the administration of the day to be aware that Barbados does not have the luxury of a Germany or the backing of a powerful European Union. In this year’s budget when the Minister of Finance mistakenly labelled BLP’s policy orientation to “years of inflexible economic modelling,” he managed to inadvertently expose the DLP’s hand.

In real terms, the statement was an exposition in the type of political spin and propaganda that is uncalled for as Barbados must grapple with the realities of the day. Barbados has to seek out a sense of sustainability from whatever paths it chooses to address the dire situation impoverishing the population and causing deteriorating conditions in the economy; these consequences could be long-term and far outlast the time that Sinckler or the DLP may enjoy being at the helm of government.
To a growing number of carefully discerning Barbadians, there is acceptance in Sinckler’s claim that the economy has been “cruelly exposed by a most virulent and deep rooted recession.” The onus, therefore, has to be on the DLP-led government of the day to be decisive and timely with its approaches to the macroeconomic, fiscal, and investment policy options for Barbados. Instead of harking on the possibility that Bajans “may want to wish away” the recession, it would serve better for the Minister of Finance and Prime Minsiter Freundel Stuart with his largely inherited Cabinet, to accept the challenge to make a positive difference for Bajans given the realities that have come to compound and impoverish many livelihoods.

The DLP has horribly failed to listen to the people and various stakeholders and then try to find out ways of truly devising and implementing what many have been saying are urgent requirements. Teasingly and perhaps unwittingly, Sinckler said that Barbados requires “sensible neutral economic policy interventions that avoid extremities.” What he does not say is that expensive litigation and a Commission of Inquiry, ludicrously budgeted football competitions, and the wastage being encountered through the undemocratic and contestable work of the Constituency Councils will not halt Barbados’ downward slide nor will increased domestic taxation remedy the country’s economic woes. Nevertheless, there is unreserved agreement for the Minister of Finance when he accepts that a “platform for medium and long-term structural reform characterized by a well-balanced and diversified economy” is indeed essential for Barbados.

With considered determination and pragmatism, the Leader of the Opposition – Owen Arthur – has revealed the significance of Sinckler’s statement. Arthur bemoans the fact that the DLP’s “pursuit of policies to maintain and expand the scope of Government’s activity,” such as the DLP-led administration’s more incestuous attachments to the constituency councils, were born out of questionable motives and agendas. That there were the untimely and ill-advised provisions of state-sponsored social entitlements, and that the Stuart-endorsed Cabinet relies exclusively on state-centralisation ably demonstrated by an unrelenting clasp at heavily subsidised but non-profitable state and quasi-state operations, have setback the DLP’s own Revised Medium Term Fiscal Strategy. Thus far, the outcomes have been detrimental and counter-productive to the very things that Sinckler advocated as being responsible governance.

No Comments on “The Huff and Puff Is Affecting Me and Other Bajans! Let Us Deal With Some Facts–Part II”

I could not agree with you more. No one can say the the previous administration was perfect; far from it. But the constant harping on the BLP’s alleged failures while ignoring the quagmire that we are facing is certainly not in the best interest of Barbados.

I am very concerned about the political expenditures that have government has saddled itself with. Most Bajans see these for what they are and will not let the DLP off the hook for its shameless politicking with taxpayers money.

GB you are doing the reverse of what you say the DLP does to the BLP people don’t want to hear all that long talk about what ought to be people want to know what plans the BLP have to correct the economic woes of barbados the BLP criticise all the time but would be better service to themselves if they for once and for all tell the nation their long term goals and plans,i know of a couple which they sent out like a test ballon and the public punch holes into them but since then the BLP has said nothing of interest yuh think the people gonna elect a party void of ideas and promises,

After reading George C. Brathwaite toilet talk here is what I have to say

1: Why did not Sir LLoyde sell BNB and ICBL .but during the smoke screen of Owen and the BLp, it was sold.no hard times right? I dont think so or was it heading down a bad road and selling that save it.that my friend is bad governance couple with Parro politics

2: Owen reform NIS to then start spending NIS monies.yes he did spend it alot. we are short to remember. why if things was so good.

3. Under Owen the middel class was beginning to disappear, land in ST John going at $22 a square foot in 2005 People in the low middle and the middle-middle class could not buy land.that the truth all.no one. Ya could buy the land but you cant build because the payments was high…………..hum…………. food prices were very high.things were good you say? You for real George C. Brathwaite.

In conclusion.things was not so good under the 2002 – 2007 leadership of Owen. Prices went throughthe roof and there was no recession gas was not so high but BNTC Subsidise into depth recorded very high losses.BNB and ICBL was sold and there was no recession.yet Hotels were being close and sold for condoes…still that is good governance. The people will know again of how ill the BLP had left this government..The DLP do not pratice parro politics.sell everything and do a quick fixed….if ya do that then when troubles comes……ya gonne the way of Guyana